


The Mysterious Artist

by WalterDisneys



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: A Girl Sticks Up For Cole, Billy Andrews Is An Asshole, Cole Mackenzie is Being Bullied, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:14:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22121647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WalterDisneys/pseuds/WalterDisneys
Summary: Cole Mackenzie is being picked on by Billy, per usual, and a girl who has been watching this for a while, Lila, takes a stand.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	The Mysterious Artist

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE: Cole is NOT written as straight in this story. To erase his sexuality is beyond disrespectful. This story does not contain any romance whatsoever. Remember, I wrote Lila as a potential FRIEND to Cole. Just thought I would make it clear.

It was the typical sort of day in the small town of Avonlea, and the school bell had just rang, signaling all the students of the Avonlea lower and upper schools that it was time to enter for yet another day of tireless education.

The students attending the school could be seen standing around in their cliques. Every day was just the same. There were the youngsters running around in circles and playing games such as hand-clapping, reciting rhythmic nursery rhymes, all the things they typically did. There were the older boys throwing a ball around. Specifically, a group of boys led by none other than Billy Andrews. And, of course, there were the older girls who typically stood around, squealing about the boys and hair-bows.

Lila trekked up to the oh-so-familiar wooden building, looking around for her group of friends, when rather, something else caught her eye. Cole Mackenzie.

She had seen Cole around many, many times, but never had she conversed with him, or really ever been near him. It wasn't anything personal, but he had always struck her as the introverted type. Every single time she gazed at him inside the classroom, he had his nose stuck in a book that was frequently lying in front of him. He always chose to sit alone, so she figured that he didn't want to be bothered.

Then, she saw what she simply dreaded, but not something so uncommon. Billy turned to Cole, who was sitting hunched over a book, his hand moving rapidly. She couldn't tell what he was doing exactly, but he seemed to be devotedly focused on whatever it was. 

"Hey, dork! What're you doing, princess?" Billy called out to Cole. He hadn't seemed to have heard him, however, as he didn't even budge or lift his head to meet Billy's eyes. He seemed far too concentrated. 

Lila watched as Billy and his friends began to mock Cole, and only then did Cole look up, but he didn't react the way they wanted him to. He just mumbled something inaudible, and he went back to what he was doing.

"Leave him alone, Billy," Lila commanded, trying to sound as strong as she could. Of course, she hardly had a thing on Billy. She was small, thin, and a girl, and nobody every took girls seriously in the school. She frequently was told to stay silent by her parents, as other peoples' problems were none of her concern, but that didn't click with her, and she didn't want it to. In her mind and opinion, nobody should ever have to deal with being treated poorly or unfairly.

"Woah! Brave, aren't you?" Billy teased, and his friends began to 'ooh' and 'ohh'. She rolled her eyes, being all too familiar with the immaturity of school-aged boys.

"Just go away. I don't know why you get joy out of tormenting people who actually do something with their lives while you get off on ruining their happiness," Lila retorted, watching Billy turn three shades darker, her face forming a smirk in triumph. He finally stepped back, turning to his friends, and Lila turned to Cole who was looking up at her curiously.

"Thank you," Cole muttered under his breath, reaching up with his delicate fingers to scratch the back of his neck. Cole had never been a very social person, so his hesitation was not out of the ordinary.

Lila smiled and nodded. She then took a glimpse down at his work. She saw an intricate sketch. At first glance, it looked like a large mass, and Lila was trying to identify what it was. However, as she looked closer, she was able to make out a tree with two people under it. It appeared that above them, the sun was setting as a little boy held out an apple to a little girl. Lila took a moment to appreciate the detail put into it.

"I like your work. You have talent," Lila spoke. Cole looked up at her again, having turned back to his work in her period of silence. He muttered yet another thank you, nervous and hoping that it wasn't another trap. He wasn't used to opening up to or trusting people.

"Well, I'll see you around. Maybe you could teach me sometime?" Lila asked, turning back around to say the last part of her sentence as she was walking away. Lila saw a small smile form on Cole's lips.

"Sure," Cole said gently, and Lila smiled back as she turned back around, heading into the building, the mysterious artist on her mind for the rest of the day, sneaking glances back at him throughout the whole class.


End file.
